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Barcelona

FIRST FIVE FIXTURES

Alaves (Home) - 18 Aug

Valladolid (Away) - 25 Aug

Huesca (Home) - 2 Sept

Real Sociedad (Away) - 15 Sept

Girona (Home) - 23 Sept

How confident are they going into the new season?

If you want a time when Barcelona are not full of confidence then you will have to wait until Lionel Messi retires. He wears the captain’s armband this year following Iniesta’s departure to Japan and has already lifted two trophies, albeit in the form of the Spanish Super Cup and the annual friendly Joan Gamper match.

What are the major headaches?

Replacing Iniesta is the major challenge. Even in his last season his influence was huge. If youngster Arthur Melo turns out to be too raw, Arturo Vidal too often injured, and Philippe Coutinho too much of a forward and not enough of a midfielder then they will be relying on Ivan Rakitic and Sergio Busquets.

There are also still some minor concerns over Ousmane Dembele’s capacity for sustained discipline off the pitch. The club hope his wonder goal in the Spanish Super Cup will be a platform he can build from.

Lionel Messi (left) has taken over from Andres Iniesta to become the captain of Barcelona

What’s the transfer window been like?

The Catalan club’s business is almost certainly done, despite the mischievous comments made by their president when asked about Paul Pogba. They are delighted to have offloaded Lucas Digne, Yerry Mina and Andre Gomes. Some supporters want the club to build a monument to Everton for helping them trim the numbers.

They haven’t stopped patting themselves on the back for gazumping Roma over the signing of Malcom but only time will tell how much of a masterstroke it was.

Ernesto Valverde wanted Antoine Griezmann and then Willian. Barcelona couldn’t match what Atletico were prepared to pay the Frenchman and Chelsea priced themselves out of a sale for the Brazilian. They ended up with the third option and he has certainly started well.

How is the manager looking?

There is still a short-term feel to Valverde. He is in the last year of his deal with no talk of a renewal just yet. There were some voices at the club who considered the absurd idea of axing him last season. And he does not seem to be allowed to dictate transfer policy at all. None of this has anything to do with how he is handling the job. His cool head saw them do the double last season. This time the test is to see if a Champions League run can also be sustained.

New signing Malcom could prove to be an absolute bargain after signing from Bordeaux

Is there anyone new looking to make an impact?

Realistically, the first team is still a closed shop to players coming through from the Cantera. Carlos Alena is a youngster with the talent to turn heads but opportunities will be hard to find. This could be a good year for Nelson Semedo and if the right-back finds his feet Sergio Roberto could play some more games in midfield.

Real Madrid

FIRST FIVE FIXTURES

Getafe (Home) - 19 Aug

Girona (Away) - 26 Aug

Leganes (Home) - 1 Sept

Athletic Bilbao (Away) - 15 Sept

Espanyol (Home) - 22 Sept

How confident are they going into the new season?

Before the UEFA Super Cup, there were few doubts about this Real Madrid squad. But now the wisdom of so little transfer activity has been called into question.

What are the major headaches?

The defence has more holes in it than the golf course in Gareth Bale’s back garden. The way Diego Costa beat Sergio Ramos in the air, sprinted away from Raphael Varane and smashed the ball past Keylor Navas in the first minute of Wednesday’s game was proof of that. Casemiro was poor in holding midfield, but at least he offered a physical presence. When he went off the defence was even more exposed.

Gareth Bale and Sergio Ramos must both step up for Real Madrid as they move into a new era

What’s the transfer window been like?

They bought Alvaro Odriozola from Real Sociedad and he will press Dani Carvajal for the right-back spot. Thibaut Courtois is the best bargain goalkeeper signing since Barcelona landed Marc Andre ter Stegen for £10million. But there is no real back-up for Casemiro, they only have three top centre-backs and if one of Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema or Marco Asensio gets injured they will be struggling. The intention is still not to sign anyone, but that could change if the league season begins badly.

How is the manager looking?

It’s hard for Julen Lopetegui to follow Zinedine Zidane. He was animated in his technical area on Wednesday night but the passion verged on the desperate at times with shouts at players that seemed to go unheard and that furious clapping of the hands – the last resort of the manager running out of ideas. It’s a challenge to build a new team post-Ronaldo. He could do with a couple of reinforcements to help him give it his best shot.

Vinicius has gone beyond expectation for one so young. He inspires that audible buzz of expectation whenever he is on the ball. If he gets minutes this season he could make a few full-backs suffer.

Atletico Madrid

FIRST FIVE FIXTURES

Valencia (Away) - 20 Aug

Rayo Vallecano (Home) - 25 Aug

Celta Vigo (Away) - 1 Sept

Eibar (Home) - 15 Sept

Getafe (Away) - 22 Sept

How confident are they going into the new season?

Before Wednesday night, confidence was low. They were poor in their final home friendly of the summer against Inter Milan and the start of the season seemed to be coming at them too fast. Then they tanked Real Madrid in Tallinn and now everyone believes they can hit the ground running this weekend and not look back.

What are the major headaches?

The major headaches came at the start of the summer when they wondered how they might replace Antoine Griezmann and Jan Oblak. Both players stayed and that has given everyone a massive boost.

Keeping Antoine Griezmann away from Barcelona has been an unexpected bonus for Atletico

What’s the transfer window been like?

Holding midfielder Rodri and winger Thomas Lemar looked excellent against Real Madrid. Diego Simeone certainly has plenty of options with four international centre-backs and the Angel Correa-Nikola Kalanic partnership up front can be a solid reserve for Costa and Griezmann.

They have also bought pace in the shape of Gelson Martins. They have something of everything as well as plenty of leaders with a genuine love for the club.

How is the manager looking?

Comfortably the longest-serving coach in Spain, and no-one has been in their position as long in England either. Simeone has been backed by the board and by his players this summer and kept the group together for another season.

Is there anyone new looking to make an impact?

Eyebrows might have been raised when Thomas Partey was Simeone’s late substitution but he set up the third goal. After various loan spells he is ready to become a household name at Atletico.

Diego Simeone has been backed by the club and has a host of stars willing to fight for his cause